Film processor transport mechanism



April 30, 1968 J. L. SNARR FILM PROCESSOR TRANSPORT MECHANISM 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 25, 1963 mm? m INVENTOR James L.Snwrr ATRNY April 0, was J. l SNARR 3,3803% FILM PROCESSOR TRANSPORTMECHANISM Original Filed July 25, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet f? INVENTOR JamesL" Snwrr BY 544% a ATTORNEYS April 36, 1968 .1. 1.. SNARR FILM PROCESSORTRANSPORT MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed July 25 1965INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 6 Claims. (Cl. 95-94) ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE Film transport mechanism for automatic film processorespecially suited for processing cut sheets of film such as X-ray film.The disclosed transport mechanism has spaced plates defining portions ofa film feed path and a space into which replenishment fluid is fed inthe manner which causes agitation and assures good processingfiuid-to-film contact. The plates are pivotal outwardly for facilecleaning. The disclosed transport mechanism also has a novel rollconstruction in which a large feed roll and a pair of smaller feed rollsare biased together and into contact with the larger roll such that theinlet film path is between the smaller rolls and the outlet path isbetween the intermediate one of the three rolls and the large roll.

Cross references This application is a division of Ser. No. 296,999,filed July 23, 1963, now abandoned, in favor of a continuationapplication, Ser. No. 615,260 filed Feb. 10, 1967, both entitled, FilmProcessor.

Background of the invention (I) Field of the invention.

This invention pertains to film processors and more particularly to anovel and improved film processor transport mechanism especially adaptedfor the development of exposed sheets of film as X-ray film.

(II) Description of the prior art.

The processing of X-ray film presents problems which are peculiar tosuch film. Principal among these are:

(1) Both surfaces of a substrate are coated with emulsion while ordinaryphotographic film has one coating; and,

(2) In the case of cut film, the processor must cope with an admixtureof sizes.

While the typical X-ray film processor can process all types of film,these listed and other peculiarities render the usual general purposeprocessor unsuitable for X-ray film.

With prior film processors it has been customary to provide developingtanks of a size larger than the fix and wash tank. This has been thecustom because it has been necessary to have the film being processedremain in the developing solution longer than it need remain in the fixsolution or wash water. In prior processors, serpentine-like paths forfilm transport have been provided by pluralities of rollers.Alternately, a series of rollers are positioned in pairs to define filmpaths which, but for turnaround mechanisms, are straight. In eithereven, the processors have been unduly complicated and expensive anddifiicult to clean and repair.

Summary of the invention With the present mechanism a novel and improvedfeed system for processing fluid has been provided which permits thetanks and the transfer mechanisms for developing, fixing, and wash to beidentical in size and construction. This permits simplified, lower-costmanufacture. It also provides other features of the invention.

With all three transfer mechanisms and tanks of identical size andconstruction the transfer mechanisms in each of the three tanks areidentical and interchangeable. The transfer mechanisms are of thelift-out type. A discovery which has been made is where the chemistry ofthe components of the transport mechanism and the processing fluids arecompatible and permit it, the frequency with which the transfermechanisms must be cleaned is greatly reduced by sequential, periodicinterchange. Thus, one transfer mechanism will be moved sequentiallyfrom the developing solution to the fixing solution and thence to thewash solution. From the wash solution, the transfer mechanism issubsequently moved to the developing solution.

By periodically rotating the transfer mechanisms in the describedmanner, a self-cleaning system is provided so that the transfermechanisms need be cleaned only at very infrequent intervals as comparedwith prior processors and collection of undesirable deposits indifficult locations is minimized if not completely eliminated.

It is not uncommon for the owner of a film processor to utilize sparetransfer mechanisms to prevent shutdown of the processor, either becauseof the failure of the transfer mechanism or for cleaning. With thepresent construction only one spare transfer mechanism is requiredbecause the three are, unlike prior mechanisms, identical in size.

An important feature of the invention resides in the construction of thetransfer mechanism which has limited numbers of rollers and easy accessfor cleaning. A sheet of film is directed downwardly by a pair of feedrollers into and through a chute, thence to a turnaround roll mechanism.From the turn-around the sheet passes upwardly through a second chute.The chutes are each defined by a pair of flat plates, the outer one ofwhich pivots outwardly to allow ready access for cleaning. Cleaning ofthe transfer mechanism is further facilitated by the provision of asimplified roll construction which permits the rolls to be readily movedfrom the assembly and thoroughly and simply cleaned.

The improved and speeded film processing is obtained through a novelsystem for supplying processing fluid to the film. Horizontally disposedspray bars are employed which direct processing liquid against bothfaces of a sheet of film as it commences its travel through a filmtransfer mechanism. These spray bars are fed directly by a pump.Replenishment fluid is fed by a venturi into the system whenever a filmis passing through the feed rolls. Thus, as a film passes through thefeed rolls, fresh replenishment fluid is automatically fed into both thedeveloping and fixing solutions as it is needed and this fresh solutionis transported directly to the spray bars where it is applied to thesurface of the film. Moreover, the bars are positioned below the fluidlevel with orifices that issue jets of processing fluid. These jets arearranged to enhance the processing both by obliquely striking thesurfaces of a sheet being processed and by agitating the processingfluid.

Accordingly, the object of this invention is to provide a novel andimproved film processor transport mechanism and a method of processingfilm and operating a processor.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had byreferring to the following description and claims taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

Brief drawing description FIGURE 1 is an enlarged fragmentary sideelevational view of the processor with parts broken away and removed;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the device as seen from theplane indicated by the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of portions of the drive systemas seen from the planes indicated by the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a film transfer mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the film transfer mechanism asseen from the plane indicated by the line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary end elevational view as seen from the planeindicated by the line 6-6 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view as seen from the planeindicated by the lines 7--7 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary View showing a feed roll retainingmechanism as seen from the planes indicated by the lines 88 of FIGURE 5;and,

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the removable lock mechanismfor a side of the film chute as seen from the planes indicated by thelines 99 of FIGURE 5.

Description the preferred embodiments Referring now to the drawings, andFIGURE 1 in particular, a film processor housing is shown generally at10. The housing 10 includes a laterally projecting feed assembly supportsection 11 which extends laterally to the left as viewed in FIGURE 1. Inthe preferred installation, the processor will be positioned with themain portion of the housing 10 outside of a dark room and a feed section11 positioned within the dark room. A laterally projecting flange 13will circumscribe the edges of an aperture in a dark room wall forming alight-tight seal.

A film feed assembly 1 is removably supported on the feed extension 11of the housing .10. The feed assembly supplies sheets of film one at atime to developing, fixing, and wash tanks 16, 17, 18 which arepositioned side by side within the main portion of the housing and tothe right of the feed assembly as viewed in FIGURE 1. Identical andremovable film transfer mecha nisms 19 are positioned in the tanks 16,17, 18 for transporting the sheets of film supplied by the feedersequentially through the tanks .16, 17, 18. An automatic dryer 20 iswithin the main portion of the housing 10 and positioned adjacent anoutlet opening 21. The dryer receives sheets from the wash tanks 18,dries them, and discharges them into a collecting bin 24 adjacent theoutlet opening 21.

A drive motor 22 is positioned within the feed extension 11 of thehousing. The drive motor 22 is connected to a drive shaft 23 whichextends longitudinally through the housing 10. The shaft 23 is indriving connection with the feed assembly 15, the film transfermechanism 19, and the dryer 20. The single drive motor 22 is used tooperate all film transporting mechanism and the dryer.

As is, most plainly seen in FIGURE 1, the three film transportmechanisms 19, positioned in the developing, fixing, and wash tanks 16,17, 18 are identical and interchangeable. Accordingly, a single one ofthese transport mechanisms will be described in detail with theprincipal description being directed to FIGURES 4 through 9.

The transport mechanism 19 includes a frame 90 which defines an inletopening 91 for receiving a sheet of film indicated at 92. The sheet offilm 92 is fed to the transport mechanism either from the feed assembly15 or the preceding transport mechanism 19. The film is directedinwardly through the opening 91 until it strikes a deflector plate 93which forms a part of the frame 90. The deflector 93 bends the film 92downwardly through a space between a downwardly directing feed roll 94and an intermediate feed roll 95. The mounting and drive of these rolls94, 95, together with the mounting and drive of other of the rolls willbe described presently.

The feed rolls 94 direct a sheet of film 92 downwardly along a feed pathindicated by a line 96. This feed path 96 carries the film 92 between aspaced pair of transversely disposed spray bars 97 which directprocessing fluid against the film. As an examination of FIGURE 5 willshow, the feed rolls 94, are parallel and positioned with their axes ina common horizontal plane immediately below the preferred fluid level.The spray bars 97 parallel these feed rolls and also have their axes ina common plane.

As the film 92 descends along the path 96 past the spray bars, it entersa chute defined by a fixed plate 98 and a pivotal plate 99. The filmcontinues its downward descent until it enters a turnaround mechanismshown generally at 100. The turnaround mechanism includes a relativelylarge diameter main roll 101 journaled in the frame 90. The mainturnaround roll 101 is surroundeby three spaced resiliently biasedturnaround rolls 102 and a pair of curved deflector plates .103. Theturnaround rolls 102 and the deflector plates 103 coact to cause thefilm 92 to adhere to the contour of the central turnaround roll 101until the film is directed upwardly through a chute defined by anotherfixed plate 104 and another pivotally mounted plate 105.

The film 92 next passes between the intermediate feed roll 95 and alarge diameter outlet feed roll 107 which is journaled in the frame 90.Film is then deflected outwardly, to the right as seen in FIGURE 5, byan outlet deflector plate 108 until it passes between the large diametermain outlet feed roll 107 and a small diameter outlet feed roll 109positioned above the main roll. The film finally strikes a horizontallypositioned exit deflector plate 110 and passes through an outlet opening111 in the frame 90. The film passing through the outlet opening 111will pass directly into the inlet opening 91 of the succeeding transfermechanism or, in the case of the wash tank 18, directly into the dryerassembly 20. Thus, one feature of the mechanism is that film istransferred directly from one processing tank transfer mechanism 19 tothe next eliminating the need for film transport mechanisms positionedbetween the removable processing transport mechanism.

The upstanding length of the two chutes, that is the distance betweenthe upper feed rolls, at both inlet and outlet, and the turnaroundmechanism is slightly less than the shortest film to be processed. Thus,in the case of X-ray film, this space will be 6 /2" with a minimum filmdimension of 7". This spacing, together with the use of deflector plateswherever possible, minimizes the number the times the film must passbetween the rolls, thereby providing maximum exposure to the processingfluids.

The frame 90 of the transfer mechanism 19 includes laterally projectingsupport members 112 at the top of the mechanism. As is seen in FIGURE 2,these support members 112 rest on the frame of the processor housing 10to support a transport mechanism 19 in the appropriate one of theprocessing tanks. As seen in FIGURES 1 and 3, the members 112 and theframe have interlocking notches at 114 which locate the tanks.

As indicated in the introductory portion of this application, one of theoutstanding features of the invention resides in the spray bars 97 whichapply processing fluid directly to the surface of the film. This isaccomplished in a manner which will be described in greater detail inthe liquid distribution system portion of the specification. Other ofthe outstanding features of the invention reside in the constructionwhich greatly expedites and facilitates cleaning and repair of thetransport mechanism.

All rolls are constantly driven in a manner described below. Though theyare constantly driven, all rolls other than the main turnaround roll 101and the main outlet feed roll 107 float in the defined paths and areyieldably biased toward the main rolls. Moreover, all rolls other thanthe main rolls 'are designed to be quickly removed from the transportmechanism 19 without the use of any tools of any type. The top outletroll 109 is gravity biased into position and may be lifted out of itslocating guide slots 113, FIGURE 4, whenever desired. The remainingsmall diameter rolls 94, 95 and 102 are 'all positioned in suitableguide slots and biased into position by pivotally supported springretainers.

The support of the rolls 94, 95 is best seen in FIG- URES 2 and 6. Anexamination of these will show that two rolls are slidably positioned inspaced guide slots 115. The guideslots 115 are open at their outer endsso that the rolls 94, 95 can be slid in and out of the slots 115. Therolls are identical .and there is no particular order of insertion. Oncethe rolls are inserted they are maintained in place by a pair of pivotedspring retainers 116, one of which is carried at each end of the frame90. The spring retainers 116 are mounted on suitable pivots 117, FIG-URES 2 and 4. Normally the spring retainers are disposed in grooves 118near the ends of the downward feed roll 94. Inward flexure of the springretainers 116 permits them to pivot outwardly allowing the rolls to beremoved. When positioned for roll retaining as shown in the FIG- URES 2and 6, the spring retainers 116 are maintained against pivoting by theside walls of the grooves 118 and at the same time they yieldably biasthe roll 94 against the roll 95 and the roll 95 in turn against the mainoutlet roll 107.

The rolls 102 are each individually positioned in guideslots 120, seeFIGURES 4, 7, and 8. In FIGURE 8 the positioning of a spring retainer121 corresponding to one of the spring retainers 116 is shown in solidlines. The phantom line position of the retainer 121 shows itdisconnected to permit removal of the roll 102. As an examination ofFIGURES 7 and 8 will show, there is a groove 123 near the end of theroll 102 with a spring retaining flange 124 provided at the end of theroll to keep the spring retainer 121 in its roll retaining position whenthe device is assembled. Thus, by simply flexing and pivoting the springretainers 116, 121, it is possible, without any tools whatsoever, topermit removal of all of the small diameter rolls 94, 95 and 102.

Cleaning of the chutes is also accommodated by a novel construction. Thepivotal plates 99 and 105 each pivot outwardly to permit the chute areasto be cleaned. In FIGURE 5, the plate 105 is shown in solid lines in itsfilm processing position. The pivotal plate 105 is hingedly mounted at125 so that it may be moved from its solid line position to the phantomposition to facilitate cleaning.

The pivotal plates 105, 99 are located and maintained in theirprocessing position by pairs of leaf spring latches 126, 128respectively. The operation of one of the leaf spring latches 128 isshown best in FIGURE 9 where the solid line position shows a latchingpin 127 carried by the latch 128 and locking the pivotal plate 99 in itsfilm processing position. Movement of the leaf spring latch 128 from itssolid line position to its phantom line position disengages the pin 127from the frame 90 allowing the pivotal .plate 99 to be moved outwardlyto its cleaning position. The similar leaf spring latches 128 of thepivotally mounted plate 105 operate in a manner identical to the leafspring latches 128.

As is seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the transport mechanism 19 has an idlershaft 130 which is driven by the main drive shaft 23. The drive of theidler shaft 130 by the main shaft 23 is through a worm 131 fixed to themain shaft and a worm gear 132 secured to the outer or right hand end,as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 3, of the idler shaft 130. The idler shaftworm gear 132 is lifted out of engagement with the worm 131 whenever thetransport mechanism 19 is lifted out of the processing tank. Thus,connection of the roller drive system, driven by the idler gear in amanner which will be described in greater detail below, is through aremovable connection of the worm 131 and the worm gear 132.

Rotation of the various feed rolls in the transport mechanism 19 isobtained through constantly meshing gearing. A feed roll drive gear 133is secured to the idler shaft 130 and in constantly meshing engagementwith an outlet main feed roll gear 134. Other of the gearing is bestseen in FIGURE 4. An examination of that drawing will show that a pinion135 is fixed to the end of the top of the roll 109 and in engagementwith the main feed roll gear 134. Similarly, a pinion 136 on theintermediate feed roll 95 engages the gear 134 and drives a pinion 137on the downward feed roll 94. Idler gears 138 transmit rotational forcefrom the outlet main roll gear 134 to a turnaround main roll gear 139'secured to the main turnaround roll 101. Turnaround pinions 140 securedto the turnaround rolls 102 are driven by the main turnaround roll 139.

The fluid distribution systems for the developing and fixing tanks aresubstantially identical. Accordingly, the distribution system of thefixing tank will be described. Comparable parts in the developing fluiddistribution system will be designated by corresponding numbers with theletter D added to identify the developer system.

During normal operation the fixing tank 17 would preferably be filledmanually to the desired level. During operation pumps and 150D areturned on. A venturi 151 is positioned between the base of theprocessing tank 17 and the pump 150 connecting them together.

Replenishment fluid is drawn into the system by the venturi 151 througha replenishment supply line 160.

As is shown in FIGURE 2, the processing tanks 16 and 17 are equippedwith overflow lines which conduct excess processing fluid to a drain.The operation of the pumps and venturis is described in greater detailin the above-referenced patent application.

As has been suggested previously, one of the outstanding features of theinvention resides in the spray bars 97, which are positioned immediatelybelow the levels of the over-flows 165, and, therefore, below the fluidlevel in the tanks. The outlet orifices of the spray bars are orientedto emit jets of fluid which impinge obliquely and downwardly directly onsurfaces of the film being transported. Since the spray bar outlets arebelow the level of fluid in the tank 17, the emitted jets of fluidagitate the fluid in the tank around the film. Moreover, since the jetsof fluid contain the fresh replenishment fluid, maximum benefit of thefresh fluid is obtained. This combined impingement and agitation actionwith fresh fluid so decreases the time which sheets of film must bemaintained in the processing tanks that developing, fixing and Washtimes may, for the first time, be identical. Further, since the spraybars are positioned immediately below the liquid level, the fastprocessing action commences as soon as the sheet of fihn enters the bodyof processing fluid.

Rinse water is fed directly to the rinse tank 18 by a rinse water supplyconduit 170. Water from the rinse tank is removed through an overflowtype drain 171 which has an inlet only at its top at a level of rinsewater desired in the tank 18. The rinse water conduit is controlled by amanually actuatable valve 172 .and is supplied by a mixing valve 173.The mixing valve 173 has cold and hot water supply lines 174, 175 whichfeed water to it.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with acertain degree of particularity, it is understood that the presentdisclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of exampleand that numerous changes in the details of construction and thecombination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafterclaimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A film transport mechanism for positioning in a processing tankcomprising:

(a) a frame defining an inlet spaced from .an outlet each near the topthereof;

(b) first roller and guide means supported by the frame near the inletfor receiving a sheet of film through said inlet and directing itdownwardly;

(c) a turnaround mechanism near the bottom of the frame for receiving asheet of filrn from the first means, turning it and directly it upwardlytoward the outlet;

(d) a second roller and guide means supported by the frame near theoutlet for receiving a sheet of film from the turnaround mechanism anddirectly it outwardly through said outlet opening; and,

(e) spaced plates defining a first film-guide slot extendingsubstantially from the first means to the turnaround mechanism and asecond guide slot extending from the turnaround mechanism to the secondmeans; and,

(f) means for directing processing fluid tangentially toward atransported film and toward said first filmguide slot whereby fluid insaid first slot is agitated.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein certain of said plates are movablymounted for facile movement from an operating position to a transportmechanism cleaning position and releasable lock means to maintain eachsuch movable plate in its operating position.

3. A film transport mechanism for positioning in a processing tankcomprising:

(a) a frame defining an inlet spaced from an outlet each near the topthereof;

(b) first roller and guire means supported by the frame near the inletfor receiving a sheet of film through said inlet and directly itdownwardly;

(c) a turnaround mechanism near the bottom of the frame for receiving asheet of film from the first means, turning it and directing it upwardlytoward the outlet;

((1) a second roller and guide means supported by the frame near theoutlet for receiving a sheet of film from the turnaround mechanism anddirecting it outwardly through said outlet opening;

(e) plate-like members defining a first film-guide slot extendingsubstantially from the first means to the turnaround mechanism and asecond guide slot extending from the turnaround mechanism to the secondmeans;

(f) certain of said plate-like members being pivotally mounted near oneedge thereof for swinging movement from an operating position to acleaning position; and,

(g) such plate-like members each being equipped with spring clip meansspaced from the pivots for removably retaining the movable plates intheir operating positions.

4. In a film transfer mechanism for a photographic film processor theimprovement which comprises:

(a) a frame including spaced and parallel guideslots formed therein;

(1b) a main roll journaled in the frame;

(c) a plurality of feed rolls mounted in the guideslots and movable inthe slots toward and away from the main roll; and,

(d) yieldable retainer means carried by the frame and acting against thefeed roll outermost with respect to the main roll and yieldably biasingthe feed rolls against one another and the innermost roll against themain roll, said retainer means maintaining the feed rolls in theguideslot and being manually movable to permit facile removal of thefeed rolls from the slot. 5. The removable film transport mechanism fortransporting sheets of film through a bath of film processing fiuidcomprising:

(a) a frame having a top and bottom;

(b) a deflector plate mounted near the top of the frame for deflecting asheet of film fed to the transport mechanism downwardly;

(c) first roller transport means carried by the frame below saiddeflector plate for transporting the film downwardly;

(d) a first film guide means carried by the frame below said firstroller transport mechanism for guiding the downwardly directed film inits downward path through said bath;

(e) a turnaround mechanism carried by said frame near the base thereofand in said bath for receiving film from said first guide means andturning it upwardly;

(f) a second guide means carried by the frame for guiding the film in anupward path of travel through said bath;

(g) a second roller transport means carried by the frame for receivingsaid film from the second guide means and diverting it outwardly throughan outlet opening near the top of said frame;

(h) said second roller transport means including a relatively largeroller, rollers coacting with the large roller and a deflector platebetween two of the rollers; and,

(i) the first and second roller transport means comprising said largeroller, an intermediate roller normally abutting said large roller andpositioned toward the inlet of said mechanism, an inlet roller normallyabutting said intermediate roller, and positioned on the inlet side ofsaid intermediate roller and an outlet roller above said large rollerand normally gravitybiased into engagement with said large roller,whereby said intermediate roller forms a part of both said first andsaid second roller transport means with the film passing on one side ofsaid intermediate roller on entrance to the transport mechanism and onthe other prior to its exit from the transport mechanism.

6'. The device of claim 5 wherein said inlet roller is biased againstsaid intermediate roller, biasing the intermediate roller against saidlarger roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,604,772 7/1952 Ward 118-428 XR2,927,503 3/1960 Zollinger 95-94 X-R 2,981,171 4/1961 Hruby et a1 95-943,025,779 3/1962 Russell et a1. 95-94 3,072,310 1/1963 Kunz 95-94 XRFOREIGN PATENTS 1,237,061 6/1960 France.

JOHN M. HORAN, Primary Examiner.

NORTON ANSHER, Examiner.

FRED L. BRAUN, Assistant Examiner.

